The residents of Slippery Ford have been provided with a new fixed-wireless broadband service capable of up to 30Mbps speeds, by the ISP Boundless Networks. This tiny hamlet nesting in the Worth Valley of West Yorkshire, has been subject to sub-1Mbps brodband speeds for long. This is because the community is very far from the Cross Mills (MYCSH) telephone exchange, which by itself is capable enough, which caters to 6,000 premises, spread across the region. Residents have been campaigning for long for better internet connectivity.

The faster connectivity is a result of Boundless Networks working with Pennine Plus, the local contractor, to deploy a wireless network, capable of delivering ‘ultrafast’ speeds of 100Mbps, in the area. So, premises here can now access the internet at speeds of up to 30Mbps, with 10Mbps upload speed and faster speeds can be provided for businesses.

In the next 3 years, many parts of North Yorkshire and Lancashire will be provided with new networks, benefiting communities like Starbotton, Buckden, Conistone and Kilnsey. The ISP offers customers the 30Mbps service at £29.99 (inclusive of VAT) per month, over a 12-month contract. This comes with a one-off installation charge of £150 and with a router. The ISP offers a service of symmetric speed of 10Mbps, at £99 per month, as its cheapest package. Usage allowance is unlimited. However the ISP attaches a Fair Usage Policy that may restrict the regular very heavy users at peak times.

Chairman of Boundless Networks, David Hood, said they are proud to be providing superfast broadband that brings positive changes and opportunities to Slippery Ford and hope to offer to other parts of Worth Valley the same services. He added that they are proud to be able to deliver services that other providers said was not possible to these communities and local villages.